DENVER — On the heels of the historic indictment of former President Trump in his alleged role over a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, reaction has been pouring in from across the leadership spectrum.
A New York grand jury voted to indict Trump on charges involving a payment made to silence claims during his 2016 presidential campaign that he was allegedly involved in an extramarital affair years earlier.
The indictment, which comes a week after Trump announced he would be arrested, was confirmed by his lawyer Joe Tacopina, the Associated Press reported. It is unclear what the exact charges are against the former president as of Thursday afternoon.
Denver7 is compiling reaction to Trump’s indictment below and will add to this list. Check back for updates.
Former president Trump responded in the following statement:
“This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history. From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats - the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this Country - have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement. You remember it just like I do: Russia, Russia, Russia; the Mueller Hoax; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; Impeachment Hoax 1; Impeachment Hoax 2; the illegal and unconstitutional Mar-a-Lago raid; and now this.
“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable - indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference.
“Never before in our Nation’s history has this been done. The Democrats have cheated countless times over the decades, including spying on my campaign, but weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent, who just so happens to be a President of the United States and by far the leading Republican candidate for President, has never happened before. Ever.
“Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who was hand-picked and funded by George Soros, is a disgrace. Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on. This is how Bragg spends his time!
“I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden. The American people realize exactly what the Radical Left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it. So our Movement, and our Party - united and strong - will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Statement from Stormy Daniels lawyer, Clark Brewster
"The indictment of Donald Trump is no cause for joy. The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected. Now let truth and justice prevail. No one is above the law."
Statement from the Colorado Republican Party
"Corrupt Democrat and Soros-funded Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg, has just followed through with his promise to weaponized the legal system to attack and politically persecute President Donald J. Trump.
With the breaking news that this unjust indictment will move forward, Democrats all across the country, and in Colorado, are signaling that they are willing to do whatever it takes to maintain power, even if it means tearing down our institutions of justice and pursuing dangerous methods that only dictators and despots have resorted to in third-world banana republics.
This is a complete witch-hunt and an outrageous attempt at election interference to unduly influence the 2024 Presidential Election.
What's clear is that the crooked DA, Alvin Bragg, and all other Democrats who condone this prosecutorial misconduct, are un-American.
Instead of doing his job and prosecuting criminals who are contributing to the skyrocketing crime in New York, Bragg is engaged in an unprecedented political prosecution that threatens the very fabric of our constitutional republic.
I doubt they will because they themselves are morally bankrupted, but the Colorado Democrat Party, and their elected leaders, should unequivocally condemn this undemocratic action that undermines fairness and the rule of law."
Statement from the Colorado Democratic Party
"We welcome the news of Trump’s indictment & believe it’s important that he’s treated the same as every American. In his very privileged life he learned he can ignore the law & often get away with it. If regular people did what Trump did they would already be serving time in jail"
Colorado Representative Diana DeGette
"BREAKING: Trump just became the first former U.S. President ever indicted for a crime. No one is above the law in this country. Not even former presidents!"
Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert
BREAKING: Trump has been indicted! This is another political witch hunt targeting the people’s President.
Colorado Representative Jason Crow
"Today is a somber day for our nation. Former President Trump’s indictment reminds us that no one is above the law and that we are all afforded due process and equal protection under the law."
Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy
"Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election.
As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump.
The American people will not tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
"The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American.
The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent.
Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg
"This evening we contacted Mr. Trump's attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.'s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal. Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected."
